I thought it would be fun to write a series of articles for the Gam covering Rotary’s traditions and methods. I remember when I was a new Rotarian it took me years to figure out the whys and wherefores of Rotary. Who was Paul Harris? What constitutes a Makeup? What exactly is a Million Dollar Meal and how can I afford it? So, I thought I would write a series of articles that would act as a guide to new members who often come to the meetings with questions about our Club and Rotary in general. It will also be a good series of refresher subjects for those long in the tooth Rotarians who may have forgotten how some of our committees work or how our dues is distributed to the Club treasury and to Rotary International etc.

I don’t claim to know every Rotary answer but I have access to the Rotary Manual of Procedure and can research any question that a member may wish me to write an article about, so, if you want something explained or expanded upon just drop me an email at Bob.Gencon@gmail.com and I will be happy to explore your question in a Sharpen Your Rotary Skills article. (By the way, you also have access to the Rotary Manual of Procedure complete and available on the internet).

This first article will cover the Method of Electing Members.

This is a four step procedure and it is important to take each step in order.

STEP 1.

Proposed new members name is submitted to the Board in writing via the Club Secretary. Note: The proposal is kept confidential.

STEP 2.

The Board has 30 days to approve/disapprove the proposed member. The proposer is notified of the Board’s decision via the Secretary.

STEP 3.

If the proposed member is approved the prospective member is asked to sign the Application and their name and classification is published to the Club.

STEP 4.

Club members have 7 days from the date of publication of the proposed new member to object in writing. If no objections are received the proposed new member shall be considered an elected member. The President arranges for the new member induction. The President and/or Secretary notifies Rotary International of the new Club member.

Why is this method used in Rotary? In rare occasions there is a classification conflict or strong objection due to specific reasons that may induce a member to write a formal objection to the proposed new member. Should this occur the Board will vote on the new member having read the objection(s). A simple Board majority vote will determine the acceptance or rejection of the application. This is why the proposed new member is only notified of his or her potential application to the Club after the Board and Membership have approved it. This is a tried and true method of voting in new members and eliminates problems before they can happen.